In relation to GW - What is scientific PROOF?

Question

OK, give me an idiot's guide.

I am reading answers that say GW is Scientifically Proven.

So what is Scientific Proof?

How do scientists come to the conclusion that something is PROVEN?

Answer 1

I think this is a good summary.

"As you can see, there is no 'proof' or absolute 'truth' in science. The closest we get are facts, which are indisputable observations. Note, however, if you define proof as arriving at a logical conclusion, based on the evidence, then there is 'proof' in science.

http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistry101/a/lawtheory.htm

Generally in science when you talk about 'proof' you're talking about a mathematical proof. Most things in science are discussed in terms of probabilities, as is the case in global warming. For example, the IPCC concluded that they are over 90% confident that humans are the primary cause of the current global warming.

'Proof' is used more as a layman's term. When you're talking about these things, you don't say "there's over a 90% probability that...". Even the IPCC does this - they define 'likely' as having over 50% probability, for example. The most certainty the allow is 'very likely' = over 90% probability.

Laymen like Jello translate this incorrectly, thinking the scientists are just guessing, but in reality they're simply assigning a statistical probability and then putting it in plain english.

The same is true of gravity, for example. We know the gravitational constant to a certain certainty, and so we know how fast things will fall to that certainty. But it's not 100%, so can you say that gravity is 'proven'? We know things will fall, we know to a high certainty how fast they'll fall, but we don't know it exactly.

Answer 2

The UN Geo-4 Report released in October is good enough for me,it is not very alarmist but confirms that the worlds surface has been increasing slowly the last Century and will do so this century,i will ignore Al Gores film (but it is still a good film)as it is plays on the emotion rather than on scientific facts.

Answer 3

ZEUS'S note IS THE UTTER fact! How might want to Zeus no longer be genuine! I propose, basically go searching you! once i change into doubting the existence of Zeus after I appeared outdoors and suggested a large lightning bolt remove darkness from the stormy sky! IT change into a demonstration! I not in any respect doubted him back! i will pray for you all who imagine in the different case...!

Answer 4

I guess we will know for sure if our icebergs are gone and we have to fish Santa and his elfs out of the water.
Otherwise I would think, a rise in temperatures over the years. Changes in fauna and our oceans. Lot's of stuff.

Answer 5

If the theory can be verified by people outside of the climatology field, once we find a relationship between co2 and temperatures, once we can determine how warm it will be next month, next year, in 10 years from now depending on the level of green house gases.

Answer 6

basically you can never "prove"(English meaning) something scientifically. to prove something scientificly you just get more data supporting the theory and more studies until it can be taken as fact, it also requires a consensus from the scientific community.

Answer 7

Science can only disprove and fail to disprove, nothing more.